Forgiveness of a Solar Empire
by R-Alex-J
Summary: Based on the 4X RTS Sins of a Solar Empire. Advent Rebels meet TEC Loyalist and Vasari Rebels to end the war, but the pirates aren't happy. If the war ends, their lucrative income through bounty will dry up. Can the peacemakers win one last battle with the pirates and all their rival compatriots? Um... what?


Log: Luo Qing, Coalescent.

20 years ago, we returned home. It was a thoughtful first sight, quite hilarious in my view. Not only were the capitalist materialist fools threating their own worlds, the ones who exiled us just for experimenting with the mind and promoting science, but they were getting hammered by others. The Trade Order or Emergency Coalition or whatever struggled against the Vasari, an avian race we glimpsed on our way back. Never got a chance to meet them until the greater war, they weren't our main target. We laughed as the pimped up bosses had to convert their saloon-shuttles into warships, like the Cobalt Speedster becoming the Cobalt Light Frigate. We didn't count on the Vasari turning on us though...

As Coalescent of the Voice of Senar, the last 2 decades have been the greatest revalation that violence isn't always the key. We hammered the TEC, even as they arrogantly thought their Guass and Nova Cannons could match our mental strength. Yes, both their rebellion-era factions thought TEC victory was inevitable, but the Vasari and our Unity factions possessed more sense. Our main issue was the Vasari. Our ships are designed to do major damage while being able to absorb damage through numbers or powerful shields. But we never focused that much on armouring the hull. That was where the Vasari could undermine us, with their insidious Phase Missiles. But peace was brought at last when we found a way to negate Phase Weapons, strengthen our hulls, and capture whole worlds without hassle rather than bombard their command centres and send down our administrators. So... we won. But what about the peace? Would the Vasari's great enemy still come along? Could they be talked to? Their Dark Fleet remnants reported further sightings approaching Trader Space. I know, I cast supervised the casting of Dominance Mass Conversion on most of their ships. So how could we make peace?

It was easier to approach the Vasari Rebel faction first to make peace. While not Human, we don't have any particular animosity towards them and even think that their war against us only made us stronger. They gave us the idea for Titans, plus encouraged us to strengthen our ships, proving beneficial in all areas where shields don't work. Enforcer Barok'Drokoo of Slave Kar Majistra (whatever that means) was the first to approach. We agreed to meet at the famous planet of Gateway. A great battlle was fought here to access the resource rich star system of Xi. Sadly the Vasari Jisura Nomads won, but at least the TEC Niltheim Rebels didn't. As for Solundi's efforts, they prefer not to discuss it with outsiders. On the fourth Anniversary, I set off.

"Coalescent aboard," announced Scryer Claudius, "everyone, be extra vigilant." Turning to me, the medic nodded and silently took me to Psy-Command. Not many male Scryers due to the psychic potential being stronger without a Y-Chromosome, but any that are talented are treated just the same. Couldn't see that much of him anyway, as he wore his uniform habit with the hood up, veil drawn. We can tell each other apart anyway, didn't matter.

As soon as I reached Psy-Command, I walked over to the tank where the latest 8 year old girl sat ready to lead. "Hello Agatha, everything all right? You know all the risks and that you'll effectively be stuck as a small child forever?"

"Yes Qing. We better get going. We sensed your presence., all 4000 of us. We're maneuvering towards the phase lane. We'll go when you ask."

The walls now showing a holographic display of everything nearby, all the nearby objects highlighted, I counted down to 16, and acted. "Agatha, let's do it."

The Captain giggled in glee as she could finally say the words, "Make ready for phase jump!"

During the 2 day journey, I took a tour of the Level 10 Rapture Battlecruiser, Unity Starship _Scythia_. I don't know who or what Scythia was but a Coalescent wouldn't ravel in anything less than a level 10. I know that Nathalie of Rolus Solbare travels in the Revalation class USS Transcendant, but I'm not Nathalie, so there. Lots of bowing and scraping, but when I went down to the engine room, I found someone worth talking to. "You, ugly person! Nobody seems to be talking or psyching with you. Why not?"

Surprised I even acknowledged his existence, the engineer lowered his veil. I could see he wasn't... OK I'll say it. He possessed one of the worst offences to symmetry ever. Lopsided mouth, sunken eye. "This."

"Er... er." I switched to psyching. It would be safer. I just hoped he knew the Senar holy cant. "Je suis préoccupé. Si un Psintegrat est tres mal, il ou elle est un... motif pour préoccupation. Parlez. J'écoute."

"Je suis... er... je suis feel that les autres gurrieuse est deteste me because I'm ugly et je ne pense pas cet I can handle it. Is that right?"

I took the chance. "Rendes-vous dans la Temple de la Communion. L12. 12:00." I was curious, mainly because I knew there was something else going on. Switching back to speech, I said, "There, have a nice day."

I spent the time until 12:00 reading reports, and chatting with the alliance members, neglecting one detail. In case anyone got uppity... I'll tell you later. In blue light of the mini-Temple of Harmony, I read up on who I was meeting. "Julius Running Fox, fighter leader, served with distinction in the Aerolian sector. Works for me. Doesn't seem to have much experience with the Advent., which probably helps. Any comments Rachel?"

A priestess stood behind me, reading over my shoulder. She wasn't meant to, but since she was I decided to exploit her wits. "He is rather good looking... Sorry. We know y... anyway I think we should give reasonable terms. They'll probably want as much revenge on us as we did on them at the start. I think our core demand shouldn't be material goods, or allegiance. I think it should be a simple apology. Then we apologise. Then we discuss everything else."

"Thank you Rachel. What's it like being a Machiavelli?" Machiavelli were another alien race, similar to the Vasari. In exile, we'd met the Micah, the Angelos, the Giotti, and the Alighieri. We don't mention them that much, and why should we? All may join the Unity.

Rachel lowered her hood, revealing her orange flesh and her purple eyes. Not to mention her rather dull black hair. "Never been a problem."

"What we want to hear. Now what do you think of Barok'Drokoo?"

"I think xee is a rather nasty piece of work. Experimenting on children, taking prisoners and turning them into living weapons, mentally attacking... hang on. Actually, I think we'll work quite well with xir."

"As I thought. No comment on appearance and... what? You find him striking? Yeah, changing subject. We have here someone not so enthusiastic about us. Harriet Morgan, a pirate leader who's also a TEC Vice-Admiral, Justice of the Peace, and governor of some Arn Consortium World. The pirates don't know this, and neither does Arn Consortium. But you know the drill with pirates?"

"At precisely regular intervals, a pirate base will disgorge greedy heathens and go after whoever has the most bounty on them. I recall you were able to manipulate them a lot in the Doppleganger Worlds. The TEC who think they can wipe eveyone else out have some kind of truce with Pirates. A very irritating truce."

"Good. Here's Harriet. She travels in the TDN _Druhnov_ , a Dunov Battlecruiser with some unofficial modifications and... Did you just say she's attractive as well? You need to get laid. Now."

"Maybe I do. What are you waiting for? GO!" She bolted in the face of my yelling and went through the door as Edward Warlock, the Engineer came in. "Hi Ed. Now when did Harriet Morgan get into contact with you?"

"Our ships have left phase space!"

"Thank you Agatha." I replied as I returned to Psy-Command. With me stood Edward and Scryer Claudius. Edward wasn't good looking to begin with, but a few hours with Claudius and his nurses really convinced him to think. With not one example of torture used at all. "Agatha, you may want to increase sensor output. There may be a pirate raid here along with everyone who hates us. There may even be Titans coming in. Watch out."

"Understood. I took the liberty of having a whole fleet ready to help if needed."

"I did not order that. Thank you anyway. Now Edward, what did you do?"

The Engineer dictated to the ship's computer what he did. A simple word processor. I wouldn't be the first time someone had transmitted malware vocally. "Before I joined this crew, Harriet Morgan came to me at Agaememnon's Bounty. She sent Cutthroats in en masse, more Cutthroats than Corsairs. Hidden inside their Plunder ability was a scan, for someone who could be motivated to turn on their government. They found me in a Crystal Extractor and blew out a window. As it decompressed, I was blown out and somehow picked up through an airlock before I died, slowly. The pirates turned right around and left the system. For three days, I was kept waiting in their cargo bay before being allowed to see their captain. Harriet came along. I wasn't ugly to start with, but I was disillusioned. I didn't feel the pull of the Unity. I succumbed to her influence, as she said I would be shunned unless the peace conference was ruined. I..."

That was it. The engineer simply slumped forwards. Claudius leant over and sighed. "Alive. Better get him back downstairs." He knew what he was doing, I could sense it."

"Yes yes. This conference is going ahead. Agatha, take me to the meeting point."

As we approached Gateway, I raised the TEC Commander on the conventional communications system and became one of the few Advent to make direct friendly contact with a Trader captain. "Good morning Julius. How are you?"

I couldn't see him, but we could hear his rather deep and slow voice as he said, "Julius? Who said you could call me by my first name?"

"Why shouldn't I? We do. I'm Qing as for as you're concerned. So when do the Vasari arrive?"

"Ju... 2 minutes. But so are Captain Morgan's mob."

I was surprised he was being this upfront. I asked Agatha if she'd sensed them. "Yes and they were on the screen for the past quarter of an hour. Not my problem if you adult mother-of-eight types don't notice."

"Julius, Agatha, are we ready for a fight? Do we want another fight?"

"Yes." Apparently, the TEC weren't all ready for total peace just yet.

"Yes." Neither were our children.

Our reserve fleet was activated and en route, the TEC's the same. As Barok'drokoo burst in with his Marauder, we told him what was about to happen and that if he had backup he should summon it. Rapidly and highly, the xenos cried, "Baaackup? I didn't know weeee needed backup. What's happening?"

Thinking about how someone could fail to take proper precautions, I screamed, "Because there are people who don't want us to unite and end the war! Do we need to spell it out to you? Too late anyway. They're here."

USS _Scythia's_ 2 Bomber Squads and 1 Fighter Squad blasted off at the same time as TDN _Tomarok_ sent it's 7 squads out, but they advanced more cautiously. TEC strike craft contained living beings in them and had life support, piloting equipment, and communicators along with the necessities for strike craft. We had a basic computer, a few engines and some weapons stuck on. Nobody had to risk their lives and we could build new ones from scratch or even just recycle them. Our Anima Drones swept forth and scouted out 20 Corsairs, the _Druhnov_ , 30 Reapers, 30 Destra Crusaders, 14 Illuminators, 16 Subverters and 50 Assailants. I guess we were lucky they had no anti-fighter frigates, but we weren't enthusiastic. "Anyone else Agatha?"

"100 more ships. 3 Titans included."

"Oh... let's do what we can."

"Smite these defilers!" Agatha shouted.

"For the homeworld!" Julius droned.

"Time for... oh never mind. I'll do my best." Barok'Drokoo groaned, as IVV _Vulkaros_ launched it's squads and tried to work out which ability to use first.

As our Vengeance reflected the pirates own weapons back on them, Vertigo confused them and the Concentration Aura enabled our Anima to strike harder and surer. But as soon as we approached the Corsairs, I had the Psintegrat focus. "Nous pret? Allez!" A pirate combat cruiser turned on it's comrades as it's crew came under our control. Attacked front and back, the Corsairs held the line as the _Druhnov_ drew closer, Reapers speeding ahead. Our fleet burst in just as the pirates came into range. "Illuminateurs, tirez! Destras, tirez et déplacez lentement. Aerias, attendre!" I wanted to keep some Anima in reserve. Some Disciples managed to sneak behind the enemy lines and were hammering the Reapers. But there were still a massive horde. What would come?

Agatha smiled. "Ah, the TEC is here. Their Hoshikos are sabotaging the Corsairs and... they've launched Corvettes!" She giggled in glee as the enemy Subverters shook at the impact of our combined guns, their Phase Missile aiders nullified by our immunity to Phase Missiles. All the Assailants could do were hammer us conventionally. "Er, Qing, the Titans have dropped in."

"Er... Destras! Attaquez le Titan Vasari. Allez pour lui arrière. Le Gueule doit etre evitee!" Destras were sent in for 2 reasons. In large enough numbers, they can hold off Titans. They can also hurt an enemy simply by existing. It wasn't that painful, but if going against a Titan... "Oh, et regardez lui moteurs. Si il Micro Saut-Phase..."

Yes, a few Destras were caught by the Maw. The rest kept shooting the Titan in the back. Meanwhile, the TEC headed for their rebel's Titan, while the single Vasari Marauder held off the Advent Coronata. It was laughable to say the least. "Qing, our secret?"

"Only if our strength falls below 75% of the start, and that includes those outside the Unity. When that happens, the secret will be triggered automatically."

Having to fall back for repairs, our strength reached 76%. Our Domination was the only thing that was keeping us above the limit. Well, until Harriet came at us full speed with her Dunov Battlecruiser and sliced apart several lingering Cobalts. Then it began.

"System online!" Agatha's smile accompanied the tremors all Voice of Senar ships felt as our secret revealed itself. From _Scythia_ came the brightest of pink light, expanding, contracting, coming together, and solidifying.

The radio came on. "This is Harriet Morgan. What have you done?"

"Oh, wait and see."

The pink gas turned into a herd of giant equine-like entities, who charged and trampled entire fleets underfoot. It was as though some solid surface formed beneath each ship before a hoof came down on it. "Julius, Barok'Drokoo, recognise them?"

Julius didn't respond. The Vasari did. "Space Ponies? But I thought they weren't real... or at least harmless!"

"Yeah, until the Advent Unity embraced them. 'Um... what?' indeed. Now agree to our demands or we will set them on all of you. They're stronger than all our nations put together, and then some."

But Barok'Drokoo's computer suddenly beeped, alerting the Enforcer to a development even we hadn't considered. "These share... they match the genetic memory of the scattered fragments of the Vasari ships where the crews were driven insane 10,000 years ago!" Xee yelled at xir aides, demanding to know about the Empire's Emergency Beacons. "You stupid simian! The pursuing enemy is coming towards us faster than ever! You've doomed us... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"All Vasari ships, even their Titan, have come to a dead stop. The radio chatter... the crews are going mad... They're no use to us."

"Agatha, raise that pirate, visually."

The pale skinned, blue eyed, bald female fizzled into view. "What do you want now?"

"Surrender to us. Join us. Only we can stop the Ponies and possibly turn them against the Vasari enemy."

"You drive a hard bargain. Agreed."

The Ponies stopped and rushed back into _Scythia_. With the Vasari gone, I ordered Harriet to reconcile with the TEC, before approaching Julius. "There is one way to solidify the new alliance. You don't have a mate. I don't either. You want children. I can produce some more..."

"No."

"Didn't think so. But I'm sorry about all the damage we ever did to you."

"I'm sorry for us throwing you out for- what did you do?"

"We opposed capitalism, and tried to find away for all to be able to have equal opportunities."

"So you're not female supremecists?"

"We're about as matriarchal as you are patriarchal."

"Only on the surface then. Let's go to Gateway proper. The Vasari there have all capitulated the moment the Ponies came into view. This can be our new capital."

On the surface, I examined the memorial to the Dalmoor Bandits who fought against the Vasari and lost. When the dark, tall Julius came over to me, I nodded and smiled. "Nice to see this finally happening."

"I agree. I've seen reports of more Space Ponies taking up position over more Trader and Advent worlds. We seem to be safer from an enemy that will merely arrive early. They were always going to come."

As I said that, Agatha, Rachel and Claudius looked up to a news report from Centrifuge. "The first glimpse of the legendary Vasari foe was spotted today 30 light-years from here. It appears to be a red gas cloud in the shape of a saucer, but that's all we can say for now. We'll keep you posted. On other news, actor B..."

Rachel gasped. "That's a Medici explorer. A race of sentient... not a race. Some kind of sentient mathematical equation. Formed when someone divided something by 0 not on paper but in reality. Sentience was gained when those same fools tried to raise it to the power of the square root of -1. It doesn't attack. It doesn't have to, nor does it want to. It's like our Ruthlessness. It can kill simply by existing."

"How are these related to the Ponies?" Claudius asked.

"Ponies are their solidified scouting form, but they must have gone rogue. Poor Vasari. Their great enemy got here before they did. Now it's our turn. Will we go mad or will we prevail?" Who knows? Was the Vasari right? Had I stuffed up abominably and doomed us? On the other hand, maybe not...


End file.
